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Bengtsson. We’re glad you found a book that interests you. This book is remarkably accurate. Except for the fact that it was written in the middle of the 20 th century, Frans G. Bengtsson’s magnificent book is essentially just such a saga, and if you love heroic literature, whether it be Njal Saga or Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings or Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials trilogy or Robert E. Howard’s tales of Conan the Cimmerian, The Long Ships is the best end-of-summer treat you can possibly … There's a problem loading this menu right now. They returned in honour to the court of Denmark- Orm, now a man, to his home. Vikings. My guess is that anyone who’s ever written a book on the Vikings first read this book and thought, “more! Quite the contrary: As this passage suggests, the women in The Long Ships may sometimes be chattels but they are seldom shrinking violets. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, The Long Ships (New York Review Books Classics), See all details for The Long Ships (New York Review Books Classics), © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. But still, there is a certain charm about these ancient Norse people. First and foremost, it is a well-written book. Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2015, Wow. The Long Ships is a tribute to the moment in history when a barbaric society gives way to an ordered civilization. The reader can experience moments of thrill, disappointment, and humor while following Orm and his companions and family. When a young man, Orm is stolen from his home by maritime marauders who make him a willing member of their crew. In other words, more fighting. The characters are interesting and have their own frailties. For this reason, there is also little character development, but you will be too busy enjoying the book to notice something as trifling as that. The story is told in the third-person omniscient mode–just like those classic adventure stories you may have read in your childhood. In my career as a reader I have encountered only three people who knew The Long Ships, and all of them, like me, loved it immediately.Four for four: from this tiny but irrefutable sample I dare to extrapolate that this novel, first published in Sweden during the Second World War, stands ready, given the chance, to bring lasting pleasure to every single human … And not always in tranquility: More years ago than I like to recall, I was a student of medieval literature at Cornell University. ( Log Out /  . This legwork allows Bengtsson to craft his adventure tale with all the artistic authenticity it can handle. Obviously, I bought an English translation by Michael Meyer. Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2020. Orm’s conversion signals the transition of Viking clans into modern Scandinavia. Visit our store to buy archival issues of the magazine, prints, T-shirts, and accessories. I know of but three men who would dare to come thus: Skoglar-Toste, Vagn Akesson, and Styrbjörn. There's a saga quality to both substance and handling in this story of the Vikings in the Tenth Century. Though at times the story, published in two parts each consisting of two parts over a span of several years, has an episodic feel, each of its individual components narratives is well-constructed of the soundest timbers of epic, folk tale and ripping yarn, and as its hero grows old and sees his age passing away, that episodic quality comes to feel, in the end, not like some congeries of saga and tall tale but like the accurate representation of one long and crowded human life. Michael Chabon gives it an enthusiastic introduction, marveling that he knows only three other people who have read the book.But this isn’t exactly a lost gem. To live and die with style—that alone brings immortality. Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2019. I learned a lot, but the Icelandic sagas completely bowled me over: Think spaghetti westerns with swords—only more thrilling. But then, what better life is there? This explains why it took so long to Christianise Scandinavia…. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds! Everyone knows what that means—the book will be dark and lugubrious, like one of those Bergman films set in the Middle Ages, such as The Seventh Seal or The Virgin Spring. In my career as a reader I have encountered only three people who knew The Long Ships, and all of them, like me, loved it immediately. Before I go on about what a wonderful book this is, I should mention that this new edition of Frans G. Bengtsson’s The Long Ships is introduced by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon, who knows a thing or two about storytelling. Its only glaring fabrication is Orm’s true love for Ylva, the daughter of King Harald Bluetooth—an anachronism that makes our hero more endearing. But they are also wise and loyal friends. “That is what I meant to say; I was not thinking and my tongue slipped.”. And that is where The Long Ships comes into the picture. ( Log Out /  But this isn’t exactly a lost gem. It chronicles the adventures of Orm Tostesson, also known as Red Orm, a Danish Viking who hails from Skania, a portion of present-day Sweden that was at that time under the rule of Denmark. Overall, this was a fast, fun, often exciting read, filled with a surprising amount of historically accurate details and dry humor. Orm, captured by marauders from the Swedish homeland where his father was a pirate chieftain, spends his growing years with his captors and becomes their leader. Michael Dirda is a Fulbright Fellowship recipient and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The Washington Post Book World. The pacing was slow. The characters weren't that engaging. The characters travel to the Caliphate of Cordoba and down the rivers of Eastern Europe, dealing with the shifting landscapes of religion ( Judaism, Islam, and Christianity from their original heathenry) and politics (the changing dynasties of jarls, kings, and chieftains). The Long Ships: An entertaining historical fiction adventure tale featuring badass Vikings doing badass Viking things.

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